Parents Weekend 2012

Students - both undergraduate and graduate alike - participate
in various student organizations. Texas A&M has over 850
student organizations, and it is just one way to get involved in
campus life.

One of the student organizations I am involved with is the
Parents' Weekend Committee (this is the Parents' Weekend for main
campus as opposed to the Parents' Weekend for the College of
Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences). Parents' Weekend is
a committee within the Student Government Association (SGA) whose
mission is to serve the students as well as the families of Texas
A&M by providing a weekend of appreciation. Parents' Weekend
allows students to express their gratitude to those who have
impacted their lives. This is done through a number of events that
show parents of Texas A&M the essence of the Aggie family. This
tradition founded in 1919 has continued to evolve over the years to
fit the ever-changing population here at Texas A&M. One thing
that will never change is that Parents' Weekend is one way to make
visitors feel welcome - it is our way to tell guests
"HOWDY!"

I was proud to be a part of Parents' Weekend 2012 and our new
event Taste of Aggieland. Students and their parents were able to
sample many of Bryan-College Station's favorite restaurants
including Messina Hof, Cake Junkie, Blue Baker and nine other local
restaurants. We also had live performances and local retailers
including Maroon Bikes.

We also revealed the 2012-2013 Aggie Parents of the Year, Kathy
and Brien Smith of College Station, both Class of 1981.

"This is the best April Fool's joke (my children) have ever
pulled on us," Kathy Smith said Sunday evening about her children
getting her to A&M's All-University awards ceremony on the
false pretense that they were accepting an award on behalf of their
daughter who is studying abroad.

Hopefully students and their parents had a great weekend and
congrats to those Aggies who received their rings!